Racism in Literature Essay -- Racial Relations, Strange Fruit

Racism, a disease of the ignorant, is a horrific part of society, and has reared its ugly head throughout history, and is continuing to do the same today. Racism comes in many shapes and forms, directed towards a variation of cultures. It can end lives and tear communities apart. Often times, there are people who see racism, and are inspired to write about it, with the goal in mind to make a difference and change societies belief. Abel Meeropol and Harper Lee had that goal in common, when writing â€Å"Strange Fruit†, a poem about lynching, and To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel about a persecuting southern to. Both the contrast made and the word choice are effective parts of the poem. Symbolism and satire are also big parts. The theme of racism is also important, which is supported by the title and the author’s tone. To begin, the contrast within the poem, and the word choice were all very meaningful, and helped develop the poem into the amazing piece of literature it is. First, the contrast of hideous events in the beautiful south is quite an eye opener. The author paints a beautiful image of the setting, with â€Å"Pastoral scene of the gallant south†¦ Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh† (5). Then, in the next lines, the reader learns of the horrific events that have occurred, taking the beauty out of the land. â€Å"Black body swinging in the poplar trees. The bulging eyes and twisted mouth†(3). The second meaningful part of the poem is having every word hit home. Abel Meeropol knew how to take words, and use them for a way in which he could shock the reader, and make him or her have an empty guilty feeling in the pit of his or her stomach. Next, numbness has become a feeling that is felt too often, and that option is thrown out the window wi... ...which can be looked at like being racist towards others is a sin. However, unlike in â€Å"Strange Fruit†, the tone in To Kill a Mockingbird is very innocent, due to the point of view of a child. This supports the theme because it shows the reader why racism is wrong, without any bias, or bitterness. Incredible authors can make the reader feel strong emotions through their words, and take on a new perspective on the world, and life itself. Abel Meeropol, author of the poem â€Å"Strange Fruit†, and Harper Lee, author of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, did a great job of beginning to knock down the mental stone walls people have built overtime, and making them see the wrongness of racism. The authors both used inner-contrast, word choice, symbolism, satire, and the theme of racism, supported by the title and tone, to create incredible, groundbreaking works of literature.

Philosophy of Early Childhood Essay

My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s education process. The National Association for the Education of Young Children states that high quality, developmentally appropriate programs should be available for all children. Bredekamp, S. , and T. Rosegrant. 1992. Reaching Potentials: Introduction. In S. Bredekamp and R. Rosegrant (Eds. ). Reaching Potentials: Appropriate Curriculum and Assessment for Young Children,* vol. 1, pp. 2-8. Washington, D. C. : National Association for the Education of Young Children. This is a statement that I firmly believe in and hope to incorporate in my teaching career. Young children before the age of eight, have an enormous potential for growth and achievement. And it is my philosophy that they have to right to fulfill their possibilities. A young child who is nurtured to reach for his or her educational goals from an early age and has been instilled with self-confidence will continue to pursue educational goals as he or she matures . 2. I have learned that an early childhood teacher immensely impacts the learning experience of the young children entrusted in his or her learning environment. Early childhood teachers make decisions each day on how best to present concepts to be learned, what is appropriate for a specific child given that each child comes to the learning center from diverse backgrounds and needs and how to nurture and support growing development in each child. As an early childhood teacher I would strive to provide information in a creative manner, engage children in discovery and mastery of concepts and skills, nurture development of play, and foster positive social interaction between myself and the children. 3 conceptual models that influence my philosophy of teaching: 1. John Dewey. What I find of interest in Dewey’s theory is that â€Å" Childhood has ways of seeing, thinking, and feeling, peculiar to itself. http://www. marxists. org/archive/novack/works/1960/x03. htm Dewey advocated that the need to know comes from within the child. Each child has an innate curiosity that should be nurtured and developed. He believed that children learn by doing. This theory is beneficial in an early childhood setting as that it encourages children to explore areas of interest and to creatively expand the knowledge. 2. Jean Piaget: His research shows that children cognitively develop in stages. His theory is the foundation for constructivist learning. Piaget’s theory emphasizes discovery learning and supporting the developing interests of the child utilizing this theory in early childhood education I would I challenge the child’s abilities, but not present material or information that is too far beyond the child’s level. I would also use a wide variety of concrete experiences to help the child learn. 3. Maria Montessori: The Montessori method of teaching stresses that all children have similar needs regardless of social status or intellectual abilities. The Montessori Method is a way about thinking about who children are. It is a philosophy that respects the unique individuality of each child. By utilizing this method , the teaches does not compare a child to norms or standards that are measured by traditional educational systems. But instead this theory is founded on the belief that children should be free to succeed and learn without restriction or criticism. Next part of question I believe that each child should enter an early childhood classroom with the expectation that he or she will have a good day. It sounds simple but in reality it is complex. As an early education teacher I will be interacting with children who are coming with diverse backgrounds, learning abilities, social, emotional and physical development. It will be a challenge to meet the needs and be supportive of this diversity. In order to succeed in this goal, my classroom would be welcoming to the child. How is this accomplished? Child sized furniture placed in areas for the children to work on projects; rug areas so that the children can creatively and comfortably play or look at books; an area with ample supplies to intrigue developing imaginations; colorful posters to make the room visually pleasing to a young child. But environment is only part of the educational experience that I would strive to present to early learners. Given what I have learned about the different ways that children learn and develop, lessons presented would engage the diverse learning methods of the children so that each will be lead to understanding to the best of his or her ability. Young children develop best when they experience acceptance of who they are, no matter what their abilities are. As an early childhood educator I would strive to not only let my students know that they are part of the classroom community, but that they are an important and integral member of our class.

A History of American Movies in Martin Scorsese’s A...

Martin Scorsese’s â€Å"A Personal Journey through American Film† is a summary and analysis of the history of American Movies. A legendary filmmaker in his own right, Scorsese highlights not only the hits but also the lesser known but revolutionary titles. His analysis is clearly from a director’s point of view, which gives it an interesting and novel perspective. After a brief introduction, Scorsese highlights what he calls â€Å"the director’s dilemma.† A good director, he says, is able to balance his or her own vision with that of the producers. This was far more significant in the past, as the director was beholden to the producers. The best filmmakers were able to overcome this obstacle and produce great movies. These days, directors are given significantly more artistic license, and producers do little more than fund the idea and put the team together. The director is a storyteller first, claims Scorsese. He quotes Raoul Walsh: â€Å"If you haven’t got the story, you haven’t got anything.† Documentary style films were always a secondary to fiction. This has improved as the industry matured, but still holds true today. â€Å"For better or for worse, a Hollywood director is an entertainer. He is in the business of telling stories,† Scorsese tells us. He outlines the birth of the classic American genres, ones that moviegoers take for granted today. Directors, producers, and fans alike love familiar tropes and genres. Similar themes pervade all movies, recycled and reworked into new